Timing advance offset for uplink-downlink switching in new radio

ABSTRACT

The embodiments herein relate to timing advance offset for uplink/downlink switching in New Radio (NR). In one embodiment, there proposes a method in a wireless communication device, comprising: determining a timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching, wherein the TA offset is at least based on the time offset requirement for uplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used in communication between the wireless communication device and a network node; applying the determined TA offset in the uplink communication from the wireless communication device to the network node. With embodiments herein, uplink/downlink switching time for NR is defined.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to PCT/CN2018/084177, filed Apr. 24,2018 and PCT/CN2017/110528 filed on Nov. 10, 2017, the disclosure ofwhich are hereby incorporated by references in their entireties.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The embodiments herein relate generally to wireless communication, andmore particularly, the embodiments herein relate to timing advanceoffset for uplink/downlink switching in New Radio (NR).

BACKGROUND

In order to preserve the orthogonality in the uplink (UL), the ULtransmissions from multiple user equipments (UEs) need to be timealigned at a network node, such as a base station, the eNodeB or thelike. This means that the transmit timing of the UEs in the same cellshould be adjusted to ensure that their signals arrive at the eNodeBreceiver at the same time. In order to perform this adjustment, TimingAdvance (TA) is defined to specifying the advance of the uplink framerelative to the downlink (DL) frame.

In Long-Term Evolution (LTE), TA offset for uplink/downlink switching isfurther introduced in third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)Technical Specification TS 36.211. FIG. 1 shows conventional timingadvance of the uplink transmission before the downlink transmission. Asshown in FIG. 1, transmission of the uplink radio frame number i fromthe UE may start (N_(TA)+N_(TA offset))×T_(s) seconds before the startof the corresponding downlink radio frame at the UE, where 0≤N_(TA)≤4096if the UE is configured with a Secondary Cell Group (SCG), and0≤N_(TA)≤20512 otherwise. Note that T_(s)=1/(30.72*10⁶). For framestructure type 1, N_(TA offset)=0, and for frame structure type 2,N_(TA offset)=624, unless stated otherwise. Note that not all slots in aradio frame may be transmitted. One example hereof is TDD, where only asubset of the slots in a radio frame is transmitted.

SUMMARY

The latest specifications of NR provide no TA offset description foruplink/downlink. Only the TA is considered as below. Downlink and uplinktransmissions are organized into frames withT_(f)=(Δf_(max)N_(f)/100)×T_(c)=10 ms duration, consisting of tensubframes of T_(sf)=(Δf_(max)N_(f)/1000)×T_(c)=1 ms duration each. Thenumber of consecutive Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM)symbols per subframe is slot N_(symb) ^(subframeμ)=N_(symb)^(slot)N_(slot) ^(subframeμ). Each frame is divided into twoequally-sized half-frames of five subframes each with half-frame 0consisting of subframes 0-4 and half-frame 1 consisting of subframes5-9. The term “uplink/downlink switching” (alternatively“uplink-downlink switching”) can refer to switching from downlink touplink or uplink to downlink, e.g. in TDD operation.

There is one set of frames in the uplink and one set of frames in thedownlink on a carrier. FIG. 2 shows the timing advance of the uplinktransmission before the downlink transmission in NR. As shown in FIG. 2,transmission of uplink frame number i from the UE shall startT_(TA)=N_(TA)T_(C) before the start of the corresponding downlink frameat the UE. Note that T_(c)=T_(s)/64=1/(64*30.72*10⁶).

So the TA offset should be also considered in TA command itselfspecified in other specifications or explicitly defined in 38.211 withsome constant values for different cases. As a result, some definitionsare required to specify the timing reserved for UL/DL switching.

In 3GPP RAN4, the UE transient time in each direction may be 10 μs inbelow 6 GHz bands and 5 μs in above 6 GHz bands in general. Thus, totalswitching time for going from DL to UL and UL to DL could be about 20 μsfor low bands and 10 μs for high bands.

Embodiments described herein may introduce TA offset in NR. In someembodiments, it is proposed on how to indicate TA offset foruplink/downlink switching in NR. Example embodiments are provided withsome examples given for the detail definition, where forwardcompatibility, frequency dependency, flexibility, message headroom etc.are considered.

In some embodiments, methods in a wireless communication device includedetermining a timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching,wherein the TA offset is at least based on the time offset requirementfor uplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used incommunication between the wireless communication device and a networknode and applying the determined TA offset in the uplink communicationfrom the wireless communication device to the network node.

In some embodiments, methods in network node include determining atiming advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching, wherein the TAoffset is at least based on the time offset requirement foruplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used in communicationbetween the network node and a wireless communication device and sendingthe determined TA offset to the wireless communication device, whereinthe TA offset is to be applied in the uplink communication from thewireless communication device to the network node.

In some embodiments, an apparatus may be configured to operate as awireless communication device that includes at least one processor and anon-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the at least oneprocessor. The non-transitory computer readable medium containsinstructions executable by the at least one processor such that the atleast one processor is configured to determine a timing advance (TA)offset for uplink/downlink switching. The TA offset is at least based onthe time offset requirement for uplink/downlink switching in differentscenarios used in communication between the wireless communicationdevice and a network node. Method include applying the determined TAoffset in the uplink communication from the wireless communicationdevice to the network node.

In some embodiments, an apparatus configured to operate as a networknode includes at least one processor and a non-transitory computerreadable medium coupled to the at least one processor. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium contains instructions executableby the at least one processor, whereby the at least one processor isconfigured to determine a timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlinkswitching. The TA offset is at least based on the time offsetrequirement for uplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used incommunication between the network node and a wireless communicationdevice. The at least one processor is further configured to send thedetermined TA offset to the wireless communication device. The TA offsetis to be applied in the uplink communication from the wirelesscommunication device to the network node.

Some embodiments disclosed herein are directed to methods in a wirelesscommunication device. Operations in such methods may include determininga timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching, wherein theTA offset is based on a time offset requirement for uplink/downlinkswitching in different configurations used in communication between thewireless communication device and a network node, and applying thedetermined TA offset in an uplink communication from the wirelesscommunication device to the network node.

In some embodiments, the wireless communication device includes a userequipment (UE).

Some embodiments provide that methods further include receiving amessage including the TA offset from the network node. In someembodiments, applying the determined TA offset comprises applying thereceived TA offset.

In some embodiments, the message is a random access response (RAR)message. Some embodiments provide that the TA offset is included in a TAcommand (TAC). In some embodiments, the TA offset is predefined constantvalue, for a particular frequency band and a particular frame structure.Some embodiments provide that the particular frame structure comprisesone of a plurality of duplex modes. In some embodiments, the TA offsettakes two or three bits in the message.

In some embodiments, applying the TA offset further includes applying atiming advance corresponding to a propagation delay between the wirelesscommunication device and the network node, in addition to the TA offset.Some embodiments provide that the timing advance corresponding to thepropagation delay is sent from the network node in a TA command in a RARmessage.

In some embodiments, the TA offset value depends on the frequency band.Some embodiments provide that the TA offset has a first TA offset valuefor a first frequency band that is below a frequency threshold for atime division duplex and a second TA offset value for a second frequencyband that is equal to or above the frequency threshold and that thefirst TA offset value is different than the second TA offset value. Someembodiments provide that the first TA offset value is greater than thesecond TA offset value. In some embodiments, for non-time divisionduplex (non-TDD), the TA offset is 0.

Some embodiments provide that the frequency threshold includes about 6GHz, the first TA offset includes about 20 ns, and the second TA offsetincludes about 10 μs. In some embodiments, the TA offset is independentof NR-LTE co-existence.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to methods in anetwork node. Operations corresponding to such methods includedetermining a timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching,wherein the TA offset is based on a time offset requirement foruplink/downlink switching in different configurations used incommunication between the network node and a wireless communicationdevice, and sending the determined TA offset to the wirelesscommunication device. In some embodiments, the TA offset corresponds toan uplink communication from the wireless communication device to thenetwork node.

Some embodiments provide that the TA offset is sent in a random accessresponse (RAR) message. In some embodiments, the TA offset is includedin a TA command (TAC). The TA offset may take two or three bits in someexample embodiments. Some embodiments include sending a timing advancecorresponding to a propagation delay between the wireless communicationdevice and the network node to the wireless communication device, in aTA command in a RAR message.

In some embodiments, the TA offset value depends on the frequency band.Some embodiments provide that the TA offset has a first TA offset valuefor a first frequency band that is below a frequency threshold for atime division duplex and a second TA offset value for a second frequencyband that is equal to or above the frequency threshold, wherein thefirst TA offset value is different than the second TA offset value. Insome embodiments, the first TA offset value is greater than the secondTA offset value.

Some embodiments provide that the TA offset is 0 for non-time divisionduplex (non-TDD). In some embodiments, the frequency threshold is about6 GHz, the first TA offset is about 20 μs, and the second TA offset isabout 10 μs.

In some embodiments, the TA offset is predefined constant value, for aparticular frequency band and a particular frame structure. In someembodiments, the TA offset is independent of NR-LTE co-existence.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatusthat is configured to operate as a wireless communication device. Thedevice includes at least one processor and a non-transitory computerreadable medium coupled to the at least one processor, thenon-transitory computer readable medium containing instructionsexecutable by the at least one processor. The at least one processor isconfigured to perform operations of methods disclosed herein.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a computerreadable medium that includes computer readable code, which when run onan apparatus, causes the apparatus to perform operations correspondingto methods disclosed herein.

In further embodiments, there proposes a computer readable mediumcomprising computer readable code, which when run on an apparatus,causes the apparatus to perform any of the above methods.

With embodiments herein, uplink/downlink switching time for NR may bedefined.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form partof the specification, illustrate various embodiments of the presentdisclosure and, together with the description, further serve to explainthe principles of the disclosure and to enable a person skilled in thepertinent art to make and use the embodiments disclosed herein. In thedrawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionallysimilar elements, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows the timing advance of the uplink transmission before thedownlink transmission according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 shows the timing advance of the uplink transmission before thedownlink transmission in NR.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of an example wireless communicationsystem, in which the embodiments can be implemented.

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow chart showing a method in wirelesscommunication device, according to the embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a schematic flow chart showing a method in network node,according to the embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing an example wirelesscommunication device, according to the embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing an example network node,according to the embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a schematic block diagram showing an apparatus, according tothe embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a UE configured tooperate according to some embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a network nodeaccording to some embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a wireless networkincluding some embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating some embodiments of aUE in accordance with various embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualizationenvironment in which functions implemented by some embodiments disclosedherein may be virtualized.

FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a communication systemincluding a telecommunication network that includes an access networkand a core network according to some embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a UE, a base stationand a host computer according to some embodiments disclosed herein.

FIG. 16 is a block diagram illustrating operations of methods ofoperating a wireless communication device according to some embodimentsdisclosed herein.

FIG. 17 is a block diagram illustrating operations of methods ofoperating a network node according to some embodiments disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments herein will be described in detail hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments are shown.These embodiments herein may, however, be embodied in many differentforms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodimentsset forth herein. The elements of the drawings are not necessarily toscale relative to each other.

Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particularfeature, structure or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearancesof the phrase “in one embodiment” appearing in various places throughoutthe specification are not necessarily all referring to the sameembodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of an example wireless communicationsystem 300, in which the embodiments can be implemented. In someembodiments, the wireless communication system 300 may include at leastone wireless communication device 301 and at least one network node 302.However, the embodiments herein do not limit the number of the wirelesscommunication device 301 and the network node 302.

In some embodiments, the wireless communication system 300 may beembodied as for example UE, device to device (D2D) UE, proximity capableUE (i.e., ProSe UE), machine type UE or UE capable of machine to machine(M2M) communication, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), PAD, Tablet,mobile terminals, smart phone, laptop embedded equipped (LEE), laptopmounted equipment (LME), USB dongles, etc.

In some embodiments, the network node 302 may embodied as for exampleeNodeB (eNB), Base Station (BS), network controller, radio networkcontroller (RNC), base station controller (BSC), relay, donor nodecontrolling relay, base transceiver station (BTS), access point (AP),transmission points, transmission nodes, etc.

Embodiments herein, which will be described by referring to FIG. 3,introduce TA offset in NR, and three example embodiments are givenbelow. In each example embodiment, embodiments are also providedassuming for example around 20 μs in maximum may be used for the TAoffset value.

Some systems, such as those that may conform to 3GPP, include someworking assumptions related to the initial TA command used for RandomAccess Response (RAR), including a maximum size of TA Command (TAC,Timing Advance Command) for RAR is 12 bits and that for the timingadvance in RAR, the granularity may depend on the subcarrier spacing ofthe first uplink transmission after RAR (see the following table 1).Note that T_(c)=1/(64*30.72*10⁶) seconds. For example, Table 1 asprovided below illustrates the granularity T_(u) of a 12 bit TA command:

TABLE 1 Granularity T_(u) of [12] bits TA command. Subcarrier Spacing(kHz) of the first uplink transmission after RAR Unit T_(u) 15 16*64T_(c)  30 8*64 T_(c) 60 4*64 T_(c) 120 2*64 T_(c)

In some embodiments, a TA offset may be specified in 3GPP TS 38.211similar to what has been done in 36.211 for LTE, but with differentvalues, for example, for below 6 GHz and above 6 GHz frequency bands.

In some embodiments, a constant time may be defined for different framestructures and different frequency bands. Below is an example assumingthe offset value is around 20 μs for below 6 GHz case and 10 μs forabove 6 GHz case.

TA offset is 624*64 T_(c): TDD in band below 6 GHz 312*64 T_(c): TDD inband above 6 GHz 0: non-TDD case

In some embodiments, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be setby referring the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6 GHz. Forexample, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be set as 10 μs or312*64 T_(c).

Note that, the embodiments do not limit to the above definition of TAoffset. In some embodiments, the TA offset is at least based on the timeoffset requirement for uplink/downlink switching in different scenariosused in communication between the wireless communication device and anetwork node. The different scenarios may include but not be limited todifferent frame structures, different frequency band, coexisting withLTE, etc. For example, in some embodiments, the TA offset is predefinedconstant value, for a particular frequency band and a particular framestructure.

In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 301 can determinethe TA offset by using embodiments described above and then applying thedetermined TA offset in the uplink communication from the wirelesscommunication device 301 to the network node 302.

In some embodiments, when applying the TA offset, the wirelesscommunication device 301 may also apply a timing advance TAcorresponding to a propagation delay between the wireless communicationdevice and the network node, in addition to the TA offset, wherein thetiming advance TA corresponding to the propagation delay is sent fromthe network node in a TA command in a RAR message. That is, a timingadvance of (TA+TA offset) is applied.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay ismaintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs), i.e., timing alignment commands, sent to the wirelesscommunication device 301 based on measurements on UL transmissions fromthat wireless communication device 301. For example, some embodimentsprovide that the network node 302 measures two-way propagation delay orround trip time for each wireless communication device 301 to determinethe value of the TA required for that wireless communication device 301.

With the currently discussed example embodiments, the headroom of themessage may be saved to transfer the TA command. As such, embodimentsmay not require any extra bits for transferring the TA offset, eventhough such embodiments may not be flexible.

In some further embodiments, one or more new parameters that arespecific for the TA offset in NR RAR message may be defined. In someembodiments, a new TA offset parameter may be included in for example,the RAR message.

An example is the definition below with 2 bits:

TA offset (2 bits) 00: 0 T_(c) 01: 312*64 T_(c) 10: 624*64 T_(c) 11:reserved

Another example of such embodiments may support more values by includinga definition as provided below with 3 bits:

TA offset (3 bits) 001: 312*64 T_(c) 010: 156*64 T_(c) 011: 78*64 T_(c)100: 39*64 T_(c) 101: 20*64 T_(c) 110: 10*64 T_(c) 111: 0 T_(c)

In some embodiments, the frequency band definition in RAN4 specificationmay specify the minimum switching time that the UE may assume. Someembodiments provide that examples include 0 for non-TDD (such as FDD)band; 624*64 T_(c): TDD in band below 6 GHz; and/or 312*64 T_(c): TDD inband above 6 GHz.

In some embodiments, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be setby referring the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6 GHz. Forexample, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be set as 10 μs or312*64 T_(c).

Note that, such embodiments may not limit to the above definition of TAoffset. In some embodiments, the TA offset may be based, at leastpartially, on the time offset requirement for uplink/downlink switchingin different scenarios used in communication between the wirelesscommunication device and a network node. The different scenarios mayinclude but are not limited to different frame structures, differentfrequency band, coexisting with LTE, etc.

In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 301 can determinethe TA offset by using the TA offset received from the network node 302(referring to above embodiments), and then apply the determined TAoffset in the uplink communication from the wireless communicationdevice 301 to the network node 302.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, the network node 302 may determine atiming advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching, wherein the TAoffset is at least based on the time offset requirement foruplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used in communicationbetween the network node and a wireless communication device; and thensend the determined TA offset to the wireless communication device in amessage (such as RAR), wherein the TA offset is to be applied in theuplink communication from the wireless communication device to thenetwork node.

Note that, the message carrying the TA offset is not limited to the RARmessage. In some embodiments, the TA offset can be sent from the networknode 302 to the wireless communication device 301 in any message and/ortype thereof.

Note that the quantity of bits used by the TA offset is not limited to 2or 3 bits. In some embodiments, the TA offset can use any number ofbits.

In some embodiments, when applying the TA offset, the wirelesscommunication device 301 may also apply a timing advance TAcorresponding to a propagation delay between the wireless communicationdevice and the network node, in addition to the TA offset. In someembodiments, the timing advance TA corresponding to the propagationdelay may be sent from the network node in a TA command in a RARmessage. In such embodiments a timing advance of (TA+TA offset) may beapplied.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, the network node 302 may further senda timing advance corresponding to a propagation delay between thewireless communication device and the network node to the wirelesscommunication device, in a TA command in a RAR message.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay maybe maintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs). Examples may include timing alignment commands, sent to thewireless communication device 301 based on measurements on ULtransmissions from that wireless communication device 301. For example,the network node 302 may measure two-way propagation delay or round triptime for each wireless communication device 301 to determine the valueof the TA required for that wireless communication device 301.

Some embodiments described above may be more flexible and future proof.For example, embodiments may be forward compatible and independent fromthe estimated TA values due to propagation delay but may use one or morebits the transfer the TA offset.

In yet other embodiments, there includes the TA offset in the TA commandin NR RAR message. For example, such embodiments may provide that the TAcommand contains both of the estimated TA values based on the uplinktransmission and the TA offset for UL/DL switching.

Some systems, such as those that may conform to 3GPP, include identifiedmsg3 Subcarrier Spacing (SCS). Such agreements may provide that NRsupports RACH configuration in RMSI containing 1 bit to convey SCS ofMsg3, in less than 6 GHz, subcarrier spacing of Msg3 can be either 15 or30 kHz, and in greater that 6 GHz, subcarrier spacing of Msg3 can beeither 60 or 120 kHz.

In such embodiments, since the TA offset will be merged into the TAcommand, the embodiments could use same granularity for different SCS asindicated in Table 1 above.

Some embodiments provide that the TA offset values may be defined in amanner consistent with the example values provided in Table 2, below.Note that T_(u) is defined in Table 1 for each SCS.

TABLE 2 TA_offset in TA command Subcarrier Spacing (kHz) of the firstuplink transmission after RAR TA_offset 15 kHz 39 T_(u) 30 kHz 78 T_(u)60 kHz 78 T_(u) 120 kHz  156 T_(u) 

In some embodiments, the frequency band definition in RAN4 specificationmay specify the minimum switching time the UE may assume where thevalues could for example be 0 for non-TDD (such as FDD) band, 624*64T_(c): TDD in band below 6 GHz, 312*64 T_(c): TDD in band above 6 GHz.

In some embodiments, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be setby referring the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6 GHz. Forexample, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be set as 10 μs or312*64 T_(c).

Such embodiments do not limit to the above definition of TA offset. Forexample, some embodiments provide that the TA offset is at least basedon the time offset requirement for uplink/downlink switching indifferent scenarios used in communication between the wirelesscommunication device and a network node. The different scenarios mayinclude but are not limited to different frame structures, differentfrequency bands, and/or coexisting with LTE, among others.

In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 301 can determinethe TA offset by using the TA offset in the TAC field of RAR messagereceived from the network node 302, and the wireless communicationdevice 301 can also determine a timing advance TA corresponding to apropagation delay between the wireless communication device and thenetwork node by referring the above TAC field. Then, the wirelesscommunication device 301 may apply the determined TA offset and TAcorresponding to a propagation delay in the uplink communication fromthe wireless communication device 301 to the network node 302. In suchembodiments, a timing advance of (TA+TA offset) is applied.

Accordingly, in some embodiments, the network node 302 may determine atiming advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching. For example,the TA offset may be at least based on the time offset requirement foruplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used in communicationbetween the network node and a wireless communication device. Someembodiments provide that the network node 302 may determine a timingadvance corresponding to a propagation delay between the wirelesscommunication device and the network node to the wireless communicationdevice. Then, the network node 302 may merge the determined TA offsetand the TA corresponding to a propagation delay into TAC field of RARmessage, and then send it to the wireless communication device 301.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay ismaintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs), i.e., timing alignment commands, that may be sent to thewireless communication device 301 based on measurements on ULtransmissions from that wireless communication device 301. For example,the network node 302 measures two-way propagation delay and/orround-trip time for each wireless communication device 301 to determinethe value of the TA required for that wireless communication device 301.

Such embodiments may be more flexible and may save headroom of themessage to transfer the TA command. Additionally, the TA command may betransparent to UE. Such embodiments may be based on the condition thatthe agreed number of TA command bits (e.g. 12 bits) is enough totransfer both the TA and the TA offset.

Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which is a schematic flow chart showinga method 400 in wireless communication device 301, according to someembodiments.

The method 400 may begin with block 401, receiving timing advancecommand in RAR message from the network node 302. In some embodiments,the timing advance command may include timing advance (TA) offset andthe timing advance corresponding to the propagation delay. In some otherembodiments, the timing advance command may include only the timingadvance corresponding to the propagation delay. In some embodiments, thewireless communication device 301 may receive the TA offset in any fieldin RAR message or in any other message sent from the network node 302.In some embodiments, the TA offset may take for example but not limit totwo or three bits in the message.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay ismaintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs), i.e., timing alignment commands, sent to the wirelesscommunication device 301 based on measurements on UL transmissions fromthat wireless communication device 301. For example, the network node302 may measure two-way propagation delay or round-trip time for eachwireless communication device 301 to determine the value of the TArequired for that wireless communication device 301.

In some embodiments, the method 400 may proceed to block 402, thewireless communication device 301 may determine a timing advance (TA)offset for uplink/downlink switching. In some embodiments, the wirelesscommunication device 301 may determine the TA offset itself. In someother embodiments, the wireless communication device 301 may determinethe TA offset by using the TA offset received from the network node 302.

In some embodiments, the TA offset is at least based on the time offsetrequirement for uplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used incommunication between the wireless communication device and a networknode. The different scenarios can be for example but not limited todifferent frame structures, different frequency band, coexisting withLTE, etc.

For example, in some embodiments, there defines constant time fordifferent frame structures and different frequency band. In someembodiments, for TDD, the TA offset value is around 20 μs for below 6GHz case and 10 μs for above 6 GHz case. For non-TDD (such as FDD), theTA offset value is 0.

In some embodiments, the frequency band definition in a RAN4specification would specify the minimum switching time that the UE mayassume. Examples values may include 0 for non-TDD (such as FDD) band,624*64 T_(c): TDD in band below 6 GHz, and/or 312*64 T_(c): TDD in bandabove 6 GHz.

In some embodiments, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be setby referring the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6 GHz. Forexample, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be set as 10 μs or312*64 T_(c).

In some embodiments, the method 400 may proceed to block 403 in whichthe wireless communication device 301 may apply the TA offset and the TAcorresponding to the propagation delay, i.e., (TA+TA offset), in theuplink communication from the wireless communication device to thenetwork node.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which is a schematic flow chart showinga method 500 in network node 302, according to some embodiments.

The method 500 may begin with the operation of block 501, which isdetermining a timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching.In some embodiments, the TA offset is to be applied in the uplinkcommunication from the wireless communication device 301 to the networknode 302. In some embodiments, the network node 302 may determine the TAoffset at least based on the time offset requirement for uplink/downlinkswitching in different scenarios used in communication between thewireless communication device and a network node. The differentscenarios may include, for example, but are not limited to differentframe structures, different frequency band, coexisting with LTE, etc.

For example, in some embodiments, a constant time is defined fordifferent frame structures and different frequency band. In oneembodiment, for TDD, the TA offset value is around 20 μs for below 6 GHzcase and 10 μs for above 6 GHz case. For non-TDD (such as FDD), the TAoffset value is 0.

In one embodiment, the frequency band definition may be specified as theminimum switching time the UE may assume. Some embodiments provide thevalues may be, for example, 0 for non-TDD (such as FDD) band, 624*64T_(c): TDD in band below 6 GHz, and/or 312*64 T_(c): TDD in band above 6GHz.

In some embodiments, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can bedetermined by referring the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6GHz. For example, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can bedetermined as 10 μs or 312*64 T_(c).

In some embodiments, the method 500 may perform operations of block 502,which include determining, by the network node 502, the timing advanceTA corresponding to the propagation delay.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay ismaintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs) that are sent to the wireless communication device 301 based onmeasurements on UL transmissions from that wireless communication device301. Examples of TACs may include timing alignment commands, amongothers. For example, the network node 302 may measure two-waypropagation delay and/or round-trip time for each wireless communicationdevice 301 to determine the value of the TA required for that wirelesscommunication device 301.

In one embodiment, the method 500 may include operations of block 503,which include sending, by the network node 502, the determined TA offsetto the wireless communication device 301. In some embodiments, thedetermined TA offset and the timing advance corresponding to thepropagation delay are merged into the Timing Advance (TA) command, andsent in the RAR message. In some other embodiments, the determined TAoffset may be sent in any other message, and the timing advance commandmay include only the timing advance corresponding to the propagationdelay. In yet further embodiments, the determined TA offset can be sentin any field in RAR message or in any other message to the wirelesscommunication device. In some embodiments, the TA offset may use, forexample, 2 or three bits, however, such examples are non-limiting as theTA offset may use more than three bits according to some embodiments.

Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which is a schematic block diagramshowing an example wireless communication device 301, according to someembodiments. In some embodiments, the wireless communication device 301may include but is not limited to a receiving unit 601, a determiningunit 602, and an applying unit 603. In some embodiments, the receivingunit 601, the determining unit 602, and the applying unit 603 can beconfigured to perform operations 410, 402, and 403, respectively, asdiscussed above regarding FIG. 4.

In some embodiments, the receiving unit 601 may receive timing advancecommand in RAR message from the network node 302. In some embodiments,the timing advance command may include timing advance (TA) offset andthe timing advance corresponding to the propagation delay. In some otherembodiments, the timing advance command may include only the timingadvance corresponding to the propagation delay. Some embodiments providethat the receiving unit 601 may receive the TA offset in any field inRAR message or in any other message sent from the network node 302. Insome embodiments, the TA offset may use, for example, two or three bitsin the message, however, such embodiments are non-limiting as the TAoffset may use more than three bits in some embodiments.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay maybe maintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs), which may include timing alignment commands, that are sent tothe wireless communication device 301 based on measurements on ULtransmissions from that wireless communication device 301. For example,the network node 302 may measure two-way propagation delay and/orround-trip time for each wireless communication device 301 to determinethe value of the TA required for that wireless communication device 301.

In some embodiments, the determining unit 602 may determine a timingadvance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching. In some embodiments,the determining unit 602 may determine the TA offset itself. In someother embodiments, the determining unit 602 may determine the TA offsetby using the TA offset received from the network node 302.

In some embodiments, the TA offset is at least based on the time offsetrequirement for uplink/downlink switching in different scenarios used incommunication between the wireless communication device and a networknode. The different scenarios can include, for example, but are notlimited to different frame structures, different frequency band,coexisting with LTE, etc.

For example, in some embodiments, a constant time may be defined fordifferent frame structures and different frequency bands. In someembodiments, for TDD, the TA offset value is around 20 μs for below 6GHz case and 10 μs for above 6 GHz case. For non-TDD (such as FDD), theTA offset value may be 0.

In some embodiments, the frequency band definition may include aspecification regarding the minimum switching time the UE may assume.Some embodiments provide that examples of such embodiments includevalues of 0 for non-TDD (such as FDD) band, 624*64 T_(c): TDD in bandsbelow 6 GHz, and 312*64 T_(c): TDD in bands above 6 GHz.

In one embodiment, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be setbased on the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6 GHz. Forexample, some embodiments provide that the TA offset for 6 GHz frequencyband can be set as 10 μs or 312*64 T_(c).

In some embodiments, the applying unit 603 may apply the TA offset andthe TA corresponding to the propagation delay, i.e., (TA+TA offset), inthe uplink communication from the wireless communication device to thenetwork node.

Note that, the receiving unit 601, determining unit 602, and applyingunit 603 can implemented by a receiving circuity and/or module, adetermining circuity and/or module, and an applying circuity and/ormodule respectively.

Reference is now made to FIG. 7, which is a schematic block diagramshowing an example network node 302, according to some embodiments. Insome embodiments, the network node 302 may include a determining unit701 and a sending unit 702. In some embodiments, the determining unit701 and the sending unit 702 can be configured to perform operationsdescribed herein.

In some embodiments, the determining unit 701 may determine a timingadvance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching, wherein the TA offsetis to be applied in the uplink communication from the wirelesscommunication device 301 to the network node 302. In one embodiment, thedetermining unit 701 may determine the TA offset at least based on thetime offset requirement for uplink/downlink switching in differentscenarios used in communication between the wireless communicationdevice and a network node. The different scenarios may include but arenot limited to different frame structures, different frequency band,coexisting with LTE, etc.

For example, in some embodiments, a constant time may be defined fordifferent frame structures and different frequency bands. In someembodiments, for TDD, the TA offset value is around 20 μs for below 6GHz case and 10 μs for above 6 GHz case. For non-TDD (such as FDD), theTA offset value may be 0.

In some embodiments, the frequency band definition may specify theminimum switching time that the UE may assume. Examples of correspondingTA offset values may include 0 for non-TDD (such as FDD) band, 624*64T_(c): TDD in bands below 6 GHz, and/or 312*64 T_(c): TDD in bands above6 GHz.

In one embodiment, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be set byreferring the case of below 6 GHz or the case of above 6 GHz. Forexample, the TA offset for 6 GHz frequency band can be set as 10 μs or312*64 T_(c).

In some embodiments, the determining unit 701 may determine the timingadvance TA corresponding to the propagation delay.

In some embodiments, the TA corresponding to the propagation delay ismaintained by the network node 302 through timing advance commands(TACs), such as timing alignment commands, which may be sent to thewireless communication device 301 based on measurements on ULtransmissions from that wireless communication device 301. In someembodiments, the network node 302 measures two-way propagation delay orround trip time for each wireless communication device 301 to determinethe value of the TA required for that wireless communication device 301.

In some embodiments, the sending unit 702 may send the determined TAoffset to the wireless communication device 301. In some embodiments,the determined TA offset and the timing advance corresponding to thepropagation delay may be merged into the Timing Advance (TA) command,and sent in the RAR message. In some other embodiments, the determinedTA offset may be sent in any other message, and the timing advancecommand may include only the timing advance corresponding to thepropagation delay. In yet further embodiments, the determined TA offsetmay be sent in any field in RAR message and/or in any other message tothe wireless communication device. In some embodiments, the TA offsetmay take for example but not limit to two or three bits in the message.

Reference is now made to FIG. 8, which is a schematic block diagramshowing an apparatus 800, according to some embodiments. In someembodiments, the apparatus 800 can be configured as the above-mentionedapparatus, such as the wireless communication device 301 and/or thenetwork node 302.

In some embodiments, the apparatus 800 may include but is not limited toat least one processor such as Central Processing Unit (CPU) 801, acomputer-readable medium 802, and a memory 803. The memory 803 mayinclude a volatile (e.g. Random Access Memory, RAM) and/or non-volatilememory (e.g. a hard disk or flash memory). In some embodiments, thecomputer-readable medium 802 may be configured to store a computerprogram and/or instructions, which, when executed by the processor 801,causes the processor 801 to carry out any of the above mentionedmethods.

In some embodiments, the computer-readable medium 802 (such asnon-transitory computer readable medium) may be stored in the memory803. In some embodiments, the computer program can be stored in a remotelocation for example computer program product 804, and accessible by theprocessor 801 via for example carrier 805.

The computer-readable medium 802 and/or the computer program product 804may be distributed and/or stored on a removable computer-readablemedium, e.g. diskette, CD (Compact Disk), DVD (Digital Video Disk),flash or similar removable memory media (e.g. compact flash, SD (securedigital), memory stick, mini SD card, MMC multimedia card, smart media),HD-DVD (High Definition DVD), or Blu-ray DVD, USB (Universal Serial Bus)based removable memory media, magnetic tape media, optical storagemedia, magneto-optical media, bubble memory, or distributed as apropagated signal via a network (e.g. Ethernet, ATM, ISDN, PSTN, X.25,Internet, Local Area Network (LAN), or similar networks capable oftransporting data packets to the infrastructure node).

FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a UE 900 (alsoreferred to as a wireless terminal, a mobile equipment (ME), a wirelesscommunication device, a wireless communication terminal, user equipment,a user equipment node/terminal/device, etc.) configured to operateaccording to embodiments disclosed herein. As shown, the UE 900 mayinclude at least one antenna 907 (also referred to as antenna), and atleast one transceiver circuit 901 (also referred to as transceiver)including a transmitter and a receiver configured to provide uplink anddownlink radio communications with a base station or other radiotransceiver element of a radio access network. The UE 900 may alsoinclude at least one processor circuit 903 (also referred to asprocessor) coupled to the transceiver 901, and at least one memorycircuit 905 (also referred to as memory) coupled to the processor 903.The memory 905 may include computer readable program code that whenexecuted by the processor 903 causes the processor 903 to performoperations according to embodiments disclosed herein for a UE. Accordingto other embodiments, processor 903 may be defined to include memory sothat a separate memory circuit is not required. The UE 900 may alsoinclude an interface (such as a user interface) coupled with processor903.

As discussed herein, operations of the UE 900 may be performed byprocessor 903 and/or transceiver 901. Alternatively, or additionally,the UE 900 may include modules, e.g., software and/or circuitry, thatperforms respective operations (e.g., operations discussed herein withrespect to example embodiments of UEs).

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a network node 1000according to one or more embodiments disclosed herein. As shown, thenetwork node 1000 may include at least one network interface circuit1007 (also referred to as a network interface) configured to providecommunications with other network nodes, such as one or more nodes of aaccess network, a core network, and/or another system node. The networknode 1000 may also include at least one processor circuit 1003 (alsoreferred to as a processor) coupled to the network interface 1007, andat least one memory circuit 1605 (also referred to as memory) coupled tothe processor 1003. The memory 1005 may include computer readableprogram code that when executed by the processor 1003 causes theprocessor 1003 to perform operations according to embodiments disclosedherein for a network node. According to other embodiments, processor1003 may be defined to include memory so that a separate memory circuitis not required.

As discussed herein, operations of the network node 1000 may beperformed by processor 1003 and/or network interface 1007. For example,processor 1003 may control network interface 1007 to send communicationsthrough network interface 1007 to one or more other network nodes and/orother system nodes, and/or to receive communications through networkinterface 1007 from one or more other network nodes and/or other systemnodes. Alternatively, or additionally, the network node 1000 may includemodules, e.g., circuitry, that performs respective operations (e.g.,operations discussed herein with respect to example embodiments ofnetwork nodes).

In some embodiments, some or all of the operations described herein maybe implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtualmachines implemented in one or more virtual environments hosted by oneor more of network nodes. Further, in embodiments in which the virtualnode is not a radio access node or does not require radio connectivity(e.g., a core network node), then the network node may be entirelyvirtualized.

The operations may be implemented by one or more applications (which mayalternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, networkfunctions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) operative toimplement some of the features, functions, and/or benefits of some ofthe embodiments disclosed herein. Applications are run in avirtualization environment which provides hardware comprising processingcircuitry and memory. Memory contains instructions executable byprocessing circuitry whereby application is operative to provide one ormore of the features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Example embodiments are described herein with reference to blockdiagrams and/or flowchart illustrations of computer-implemented methods,apparatus (systems and/or devices) and/or non-transitory computerprogram products. It is understood that a block of the block diagramsand/or flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the blockdiagrams and/or flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computerprogram instructions that are performed by one or more computercircuits. These computer program instructions may be provided to aprocessor circuit of a general purpose computer circuit, special purposecomputer circuit, and/or other programmable data processing circuit toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer and/or other programmable data processingapparatus, transform and control transistors, values stored in memorylocations, and other hardware components within such circuitry toimplement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/orflowchart block or blocks, and thereby create means (functionality)and/or structure for implementing the functions/acts specified in theblock diagrams and/or flowchart block(s).

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a tangiblecomputer-readable medium that can direct a computer or otherprogrammable data processing apparatus to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/orflowchart block or blocks. Accordingly, embodiments of the disclosedsubject matter may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (includingfirmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) that runs on a processorsuch as a digital signal processor, which may collectively be referredto as “circuitry,” “a module” or variants thereof.

It should also be noted that in some alternate implementations, thefunctions/acts noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted inthe flowcharts. For example, two blocks shown in succession may in factbe executed substantially concurrently or the blocks may sometimes beexecuted in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/actsinvolved. Moreover, the functionality of a given block of the flowchartsand/or block diagrams may be separated into multiple blocks and/or thefunctionality of two or more blocks of the flowcharts and/or blockdiagrams may be at least partially integrated. Finally, other blocks maybe added/inserted between the blocks that are illustrated, and/orblocks/operations may be omitted without departing from the scope ofdisclosed subject matter. Moreover, although some of the diagramsinclude arrows on communication paths to show a primary direction ofcommunication, it is to be understood that communication may occur inthe opposite direction to the depicted arrows.

Many variations and modifications can be made to the embodiments withoutsubstantially departing from the principles of the disclosed subjectmatter. All such variations and modifications are intended to beincluded herein within the scope of the disclosed subject matter.Accordingly, the above disclosed subject matter is to be consideredillustrative, and not restrictive, and the appended examples ofembodiments are intended to cover all such modifications, enhancements,and other embodiments, which fall within the spirit and scope of presentinventive concepts. Thus, to the maximum extent allowed by law, thescope of the disclosed subject matter is to be determined by thebroadest permissible interpretation of the present disclosure includingthe following examples of embodiments and their equivalents, and shallnot be restricted or limited by the foregoing detailed description.

Abbreviations

-   3GPP third Generation Partnership Project-   5G 5th-generation mobile communication technology-   DL Downlink-   FDD Frequency Division Duplex-   LTE Long-Term Evolution-   NR New Radio-   OFDM Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing-   RAN Radio Access Network-   RAR Random Access Response-   SCS Sub-Carrier Spacing.-   TA Timing Advance-   TAC Timing Advance Command-   TDD Time Division Duplex-   UE User Equipment-   UL Uplink

Further Definitions and Embodiments

In this disclosure a receiving node and a transmitting node is referredto. In the embodiments in one example the transmitting node can be a UEand the receiving node can be a network node. In another example thetransmitting node can be a network node and the receiving node can be aUE. In yet another example the transmitting and receiving node can beinvolved in direct device to device communication, that is both can beconsidered UEs. Examples of device to device communication are proximityservice (ProSe), ProSe direct discovery, ProSe direct communication, V2X(where X can denote V, I or P e.g. V2V, V2I, V2P etc) etc.

A network node is a more general term and can correspond to any type ofradio network node or any network node, which communicates with a UEand/or with another network node. Examples of network nodes are NodeB,base station (BS), multi-standard radio (MSR) radio node such as MSR BS,eNodeB, gNodeB. MeNB, SeNB, network controller, radio network controller(RNC), base station controller (BSC), road side unit (RSU), relay, donornode controlling relay, base transceiver station (BTS), access point(AP), transmission points, transmission nodes, RRU, RRH, nodes indistributed antenna system (DAS), core network node (e.g. MSC, MME etc),O&M, OSS, SON, positioning node (e.g. E-SMLC) etc.

Another example of a node could be user equipment, this is anon-limiting term user equipment (UE) and it refers to any type ofwireless device communicating with a network node and/or with another UEin a cellular or mobile communication system. Examples of UE are targetdevice, device to device (D2D) UE, V2X UE, ProSe UE, machine type UE orUE capable of machine to machine (M2M) communication, PDA, iPAD, Tablet,mobile terminals, smart phone, laptop embedded equipped (LEE), laptopmounted equipment (LME), USB dongles etc.

The term radio access technology, or RAT, may refer to any RAT e.g.UTRA, E-UTRA, narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT), WiFi, Bluetooth,next generation RAT (NR), 4G, 5G, etc. Any of the first and the secondnodes may be capable of supporting a single or multiple RATs. The termsignal used herein can be any physical signal or physical channel.Examples of downlink physical signals are reference signal such as PSS,SSS, CRS, PRS, CSI-RS, DMRS, NRS, NPSS, NSSS, SS, MBSFN RS etc. Examplesof uplink physical signals are reference signal such as SRS, DMRS etc.The term physical channel (e.g., in the context of channel reception)used herein is also called as ‘channel. The physical channel carrieshigher layer information (e.g. RRC, logical control channel etc).Examples of downlink physical channels are PBCH, NPBCH, PDCCH, PDSCH,sPDSCH, MPDCCH, NPDCCH, NPDSCH, E-PDCCH etc. Examples of uplink physicalchannels are sPUCCH. sPUSCH, PUSCH, PUCCH, NPUSCH, PRACH, NPRACH etc.

The term time resource used herein may correspond to any type ofphysical resource or radio resource expressed in terms of length of timeand/or frequency. Signals are transmitted or received by a radio nodeover a time resource. Examples of time resources are: symbol, time slot,subframe, radio frame, TTI, interleaving time, etc.

Although the subject matter described herein may be implemented in anyappropriate type of system using any suitable components, theembodiments disclosed herein are described in relation to a wirelessnetwork, such as the example wireless network illustrated in FIG. 11.For simplicity, the wireless network of FIG. 11 only depicts networkQQ106, network nodes QQ160 and QQ160 b, and WDs QQ110, QQ110 b, andQQ110 c. In practice, a wireless network may further include anyadditional elements suitable to support communication between wirelessdevices or between a wireless device and another communication device,such as a landline telephone, a service provider, or any other networknode or end device. Of the illustrated components, network node QQ160and wireless device (WD) QQ110 are depicted with additional detail. Thewireless network may provide communication and other types of servicesto one or more wireless devices to facilitate the wireless devices'access to and/or use of the services provided by, or via, the wirelessnetwork.

The wireless network may comprise and/or interface with any type ofcommunication, telecommunication, data, cellular, and/or radio networkor other similar type of system. In some embodiments, the wirelessnetwork may be configured to operate according to specific standards orother types of predefined rules or procedures. Thus, particularembodiments of the wireless network may implement communicationstandards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM),Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Long Term Evolution(LTE), and/or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G standards; wireless localarea network (WLAN) standards, such as the IEEE 802.11 standards; and/orany other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as theWorldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth,Z-Wave and/or ZigBee standards.

Network QQ106 may comprise one or more backhaul networks, core networks,IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet datanetworks, optical networks, wide-area networks (WANs), local areanetworks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks,wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks toenable communication between devices.

Network node QQ160 and WD QQ110 comprise various components described inmore detail below. These components work together in order to providenetwork node and/or wireless device functionality, such as providingwireless connections in a wireless network. In different embodiments,the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wirelessnetworks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices,relay stations, and/or any other components or systems that mayfacilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signalswhether via wired or wireless connections.

As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured,arranged and/or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with awireless device and/or with other network nodes or equipment in thewireless network to enable and/or provide wireless access to thewireless device and/or to perform other functions (e.g., administration)in the wireless network. Examples of network nodes include, but are notlimited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), basestations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs(eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)). Base stations may be categorized based onthe amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, theirtransmit power level) and may then also be referred to as femto basestations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro basestations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor nodecontrolling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (orall) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralizeddigital units and/or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to asRemote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not beintegrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of adistributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in adistributed antenna system (DAS). Yet further examples of network nodesinclude multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, networkcontrollers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base stationcontrollers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmissionpoints, transmission nodes, multi-cell/multicast coordination entities(MCEs), core network nodes (e.g., MSCs, MMEs), O&M nodes, OSS nodes, SONnodes, positioning nodes (e.g., E-SMLCs), and/or MDTs. As anotherexample, a network node may be a virtual network node as described inmore detail below. More generally, however, network nodes may representany suitable device (or group of devices) capable, configured, arranged,and/or operable to enable and/or provide a wireless device with accessto the wireless network or to provide some service to a wireless devicethat has accessed the wireless network.

In FIG. 11, network node QQ160 includes processing circuitry QQ170,device readable medium QQ180, interface QQ190, auxiliary equipmentQQ184, power source QQ186, power circuitry QQ187, and antenna QQ162.Although network node QQ160 illustrated in the example wireless networkof FIG. 11 may represent a device that includes the illustratedcombination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprisenetwork nodes with different combinations of components. It is to beunderstood that a network node comprises any suitable combination ofhardware and/or software needed to perform the tasks, features,functions and methods disclosed herein. Moreover, while the componentsof network node QQ160 are depicted as single boxes located within alarger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, a network nodemay comprise multiple different physical components that make up asingle illustrated component (e.g., device readable medium QQ180 maycomprise multiple separate hard drives as well as multiple RAM modules).

Similarly, network node QQ160 may be composed of multiple physicallyseparate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or aBTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their ownrespective components. In certain scenarios in which network node QQ160comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components),one or more of the separate components may be shared among severalnetwork nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeB's.In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in someinstances be considered a single separate network node. In someembodiments, network node QQ160 may be configured to support multipleradio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some componentsmay be duplicated (e.g., separate device readable medium QQ180 for thedifferent RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the sameantenna QQ162 may be shared by the RATs). Network node QQ160 may alsoinclude multiple sets of the various illustrated components fordifferent wireless technologies integrated into network node QQ160, suchas, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, or Bluetooth wirelesstechnologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into thesame or different chip or set of chips and other components withinnetwork node QQ160.

Processing circuitry QQ170 is configured to perform any determining,calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations)described herein as being provided by a network node. These operationsperformed by processing circuitry QQ170 may include processinginformation obtained by processing circuitry QQ170 by, for example,converting the obtained information into other information, comparingthe obtained information or converted information to information storedin the network node, and/or performing one or more operations based onthe obtained information or converted information, and as a result ofsaid processing making a determination.

Processing circuitry QQ170 may comprise a combination of one or more ofa microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit,digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, fieldprogrammable gate array, or any other suitable computing device,resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logicoperable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other networknode QQ160 components, such as device readable medium QQ180, networknode QQ160 functionality. For example, processing circuitry QQ170 mayexecute instructions stored in device readable medium QQ180 or in memorywithin processing circuitry QQ170. Such functionality may includeproviding any of the various wireless features, functions, or benefitsdiscussed herein. In some embodiments, processing circuitry QQ170 mayinclude a system on a chip (SOC).

In some embodiments, processing circuitry QQ170 may include one or moreof radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry QQ172 and basebandprocessing circuitry QQ174. In some embodiments, radio frequency (RF)transceiver circuitry QQ172 and baseband processing circuitry QQ174 maybe on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radiounits and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RFtransceiver circuitry QQ172 and baseband processing circuitry QQ174 maybe on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality describedherein as being provided by a network node, base station, eNB or othersuch network device may be performed by processing circuitry QQ170executing instructions stored on device readable medium QQ180 or memorywithin processing circuitry QQ170. In alternative embodiments, some orall of the functionality may be provided by processing circuitry QQ170without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete devicereadable medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of thoseembodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a device readablestorage medium or not, processing circuitry QQ170 can be configured toperform the described functionality. The benefits provided by suchfunctionality are not limited to processing circuitry QQ170 alone or toother components of network node QQ160, but are enjoyed by network nodeQQ160 as a whole, and/or by end users and the wireless networkgenerally.

Device readable medium QQ180 may comprise any form of volatile ornon-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation,persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory,magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-onlymemory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removablestorage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or aDigital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or any other volatile or non-volatile,non-transitory device readable and/or computer-executable memory devicesthat store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used byprocessing circuitry QQ170. Device readable medium QQ180 may store anysuitable instructions, data or information, including a computerprogram, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules,code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executedby processing circuitry QQ170 and, utilized by network node QQ160.Device readable medium QQ180 may be used to store any calculations madeby processing circuitry QQ170 and/or any data received via interfaceQQ190. In some embodiments, processing circuitry QQ170 and devicereadable medium QQ180 may be considered to be integrated.

Interface QQ190 is used in the wired or wireless communication ofsignaling and/or data between network node QQ160, network QQ106, and/orWDs QQ110. As illustrated, interface QQ190 comprises port(s)/terminal(s)QQ194 to send and receive data, for example to and from network QQ106over a wired connection. Interface QQ190 also includes radio front endcircuitry QQ192 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a partof, antenna QQ162. Radio front end circuitry QQ192 comprises filtersQQ198 and amplifiers QQ196. Radio front end circuitry QQ192 may beconnected to antenna QQ162 and processing circuitry QQ170. Radio frontend circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicatedbetween antenna QQ162 and processing circuitry QQ170. Radio front endcircuitry QQ192 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to othernetwork nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. Radio front endcircuitry QQ192 may convert the digital data into a radio signal havingthe appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination offilters QQ198 and/or amplifiers QQ196. The radio signal may then betransmitted via antenna QQ162. Similarly, when receiving data, antennaQQ162 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digitaldata by radio front end circuitry QQ192. The digital data may be passedto processing circuitry QQ170. In other embodiments, the interface maycomprise different components and/or different combinations ofcomponents.

In certain alternative embodiments, network node QQ160 may not includeseparate radio front end circuitry QQ192, instead, processing circuitryQQ170 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may be connected toantenna QQ162 without separate radio front end circuitry QQ192.Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of RF transceiver circuitryQQ172 may be considered a part of interface QQ190. In still otherembodiments, interface QQ190 may include one or more ports or terminalsQQ194, radio front end circuitry QQ192, and RF transceiver circuitryQQ172, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and interface QQ190 maycommunicate with baseband processing circuitry QQ174, which is part of adigital unit (not shown).

Antenna QQ162 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays,configured to send and/or receive wireless signals. Antenna QQ162 may becoupled to radio front end circuitry QQ190 and may be any type ofantenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signalswirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna QQ162 may comprise one or moreomni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receiveradio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. Anomni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signalsin any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radiosignals from devices within a particular area, and a panel antenna maybe a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in arelatively straight line. In some instances, the use of more than oneantenna may be referred to as MIMO. In certain embodiments, antennaQQ162 may be separate from network node QQ160 and may be connectable tonetwork node QQ160 through an interface or port.

Antenna QQ162, interface QQ190, and/or processing circuitry QQ170 may beconfigured to perform any receiving operations and/or certain obtainingoperations described herein as being performed by a network node. Anyinformation, data and/or signals may be received from a wireless device,another network node and/or any other network equipment. Similarly,antenna QQ162, interface QQ190, and/or processing circuitry QQ170 may beconfigured to perform any transmitting operations described herein asbeing performed by a network node. Any information, data and/or signalsmay be transmitted to a wireless device, another network node and/or anyother network equipment.

Power circuitry QQ187 may comprise, or be coupled to, power managementcircuitry and is configured to supply the components of network nodeQQ160 with power for performing the functionality described herein.Power circuitry QQ187 may receive power from power source QQ186. Powersource QQ186 and/or power circuitry QQ187 may be configured to providepower to the various components of network node QQ160 in a form suitablefor the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current levelneeded for each respective component). Power source QQ186 may either beincluded in, or external to, power circuitry QQ187 and/or network nodeQQ160. For example, network node QQ160 may be connectable to an externalpower source (e.g., an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry orinterface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power sourcesupplies power to power circuitry QQ187. As a further example, powersource QQ186 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery orbattery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitryQQ187. The battery may provide backup power should the external powersource fail. Other types of power sources, such as photovoltaic devices,may also be used.

Alternative embodiments of network node QQ160 may include additionalcomponents beyond those shown in FIG. 11 that may be responsible forproviding certain aspects of the network node's functionality, includingany of the functionality described herein and/or any functionalitynecessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example,network node QQ160 may include user interface equipment to allow inputof information into network node QQ160 and to allow output ofinformation from network node QQ160. This may allow a user to performdiagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions fornetwork node QQ160.

As used herein, wireless device (WD) refers to a device capable,configured, arranged and/or operable to communicate wirelessly withnetwork nodes and/or other wireless devices. Unless otherwise noted, theterm WD may be used interchangeably herein with user equipment (UE) andmobile equipment (ME). Communicating wirelessly may involve transmittingand/or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radiowaves, infrared waves, and/or other types of signals suitable forconveying information through air. In some embodiments, a WD may beconfigured to transmit and/or receive information without direct humaninteraction. For instance, a WD may be designed to transmit informationto a network on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internalor external event, or in response to requests from the network. Examplesof a WD include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, a mobile phone,a cell phone, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone, a wireless local loop phone,a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a wirelesscameras, a gaming console or device, a music storage device, a playbackappliance, a wearable terminal device, a wireless endpoint, a mobilestation, a tablet, a laptop, a laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), alaptop-mounted equipment (LME), a smart device, a wirelesscustomer-premise equipment (CPE). a vehicle-mounted wireless terminaldevice, etc. A WD may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, forexample by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication,vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I),vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2Dcommunication device. As yet another specific example, in an Internet ofThings (IoT) scenario, a WD may represent a machine or other device thatperforms monitoring and/or measurements, and transmits the results ofsuch monitoring and/or measurements to another WD and/or a network node.The WD may in this case be a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, which mayin a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particularexample, the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internetof things (NB-IoT) standard. Particular examples of such machines ordevices are sensors, metering devices such as power meters, industrialmachinery, or home or personal appliances (e.g. refrigerators,televisions, etc.) personal wearables (e.g., watches, fitness trackers,etc.). In other scenarios, a WD may represent a vehicle or otherequipment that is capable of monitoring and/or reporting on itsoperational status or other functions associated with its operation. AWD as described above may represent the endpoint of a wirelessconnection, in which case the device may be referred to as a wirelessterminal. Furthermore, a WD as described above may be mobile, in whichcase it may also be referred to as a mobile device or a mobile terminal.

As illustrated, wireless device QQ110 includes antenna QQ111, interfaceQQ114, processing circuitry QQ120, device readable medium QQ130, userinterface equipment QQ132, auxiliary equipment QQ134, power source QQ136and power circuitry QQ137. WD QQ110 may include multiple sets of one ormore of the illustrated components for different wireless technologiessupported by WD QQ110, such as, for example, GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi,WiMAX, or Bluetooth wireless technologies, just to mention a few. Thesewireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chipsor set of chips as other components within WD QQ110.

Antenna QQ111 may include one or more antennas or antenna arrays,configured to send and/or receive wireless signals, and is connected tointerface QQ114. In certain alternative embodiments, antenna QQ111 maybe separate from WD QQ110 and be connectable to WD QQ110 through aninterface or port. Antenna QQ111, interface QQ114, and/or processingcircuitry QQ120 may be configured to perform any receiving ortransmitting operations described herein as being performed by a WD. Anyinformation, data and/or signals may be received from a network nodeand/or another WD. In some embodiments, radio front end circuitry and/orantenna QQ111 may be considered an interface.

As illustrated, interface QQ114 comprises radio front end circuitryQQ112 and antenna QQ111. Radio front end circuitry QQ112 comprise one ormore filters QQ118 and amplifiers QQ116. Radio front end circuitry QQ114is connected to antenna QQ111 and processing circuitry QQ120, and isconfigured to condition signals communicated between antenna QQ111 andprocessing circuitry QQ120. Radio front end circuitry QQ112 may becoupled to or a part of antenna QQ111. In some embodiments, WD QQ110 maynot include separate radio front end circuitry QQ112; rather, processingcircuitry QQ120 may comprise radio front end circuitry and may beconnected to antenna QQ111. Similarly, in some embodiments, some or allof RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 may be considered a part of interfaceQQ114. Radio front end circuitry QQ112 may receive digital data that isto be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection.Radio front end circuitry QQ112 may convert the digital data into aradio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parametersusing a combination of filters QQ118 and/or amplifiers QQ116. The radiosignal may then be transmitted via antenna QQ111. Similarly, whenreceiving data, antenna QQ111 may collect radio signals which are thenconverted into digital data by radio front end circuitry QQ112. Thedigital data may be passed to processing circuitry QQ120. In otherembodiments, the interface may comprise different components and/ordifferent combinations of components.

Processing circuitry QQ120 may comprise a combination of one or more ofa microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit,digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, fieldprogrammable gate array, or any other suitable computing device,resource, or combination of hardware, software, and/or encoded logicoperable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other WD QQ110components, such as device readable medium QQ130, WD QQ110functionality. Such functionality may include providing any of thevarious wireless features or benefits discussed herein. For example,processing circuitry QQ120 may execute instructions stored in devicereadable medium QQ130 or in memory within processing circuitry QQ120 toprovide the functionality disclosed herein.

As illustrated, processing circuitry QQ120 includes one or more of RFtransceiver circuitry QQ122, baseband processing circuitry QQ124, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126. In other embodiments, theprocessing circuitry may comprise different components and/or differentcombinations of components. In certain embodiments processing circuitryQQ120 of WD QQ110 may comprise a SOC. In some embodiments, RFtransceiver circuitry QQ122, baseband processing circuitry QQ124, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126 may be on separate chips or setsof chips. In alternative embodiments, part or all of baseband processingcircuitry QQ124 and application processing circuitry QQ126 may becombined into one chip or set of chips, and RF transceiver circuitryQQ122 may be on a separate chip or set of chips. In still alternativeembodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 and basebandprocessing circuitry QQ124 may be on the same chip or set of chips, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126 may be on a separate chip or setof chips. In yet other alternative embodiments, part or all of RFtransceiver circuitry QQ122, baseband processing circuitry QQ124, andapplication processing circuitry QQ126 may be combined in the same chipor set of chips. In some embodiments, RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 maybe a part of interface QQ114. RF transceiver circuitry QQ122 maycondition RF signals for processing circuitry QQ120.

In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality describedherein as being performed by a WD may be provided by processingcircuitry QQ120 executing instructions stored on device readable mediumQQ130, which in certain embodiments may be a computer-readable storagemedium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality maybe provided by processing circuitry QQ120 without executing instructionsstored on a separate or discrete device readable storage medium, such asin a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whetherexecuting instructions stored on a device readable storage medium ornot, processing circuitry QQ120 can be configured to perform thedescribed functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality arenot limited to processing circuitry QQ120 alone or to other componentsof WD QQ110, but are enjoyed by WD QQ110 as a whole, and/or by end usersand the wireless network generally.

Processing circuitry QQ120 may be configured to perform any determining,calculating, or similar operations (e.g., certain obtaining operations)described herein as being performed by a WD. These operations, asperformed by processing circuitry QQ120, may include processinginformation obtained by processing circuitry QQ120 by, for example,converting the obtained information into other information, comparingthe obtained information or converted information to information storedby WD QQ110, and/or performing one or more operations based on theobtained information or converted information, and as a result of saidprocessing making a determination.

Device readable medium QQ130 may be operable to store a computerprogram, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules,code, tables, etc. and/or other instructions capable of being executedby processing circuitry QQ120. Device readable medium QQ130 may includecomputer memory (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM) or Read Only Memory(ROM)), mass storage media (e.g., a hard disk), removable storage media(e.g., a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and/or anyother volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device readable and/orcomputer executable memory devices that store information, data, and/orinstructions that may be used by processing circuitry QQ120. In someembodiments, processing circuitry QQ120 and device readable medium QQ130may be considered to be integrated.

User interface equipment QQ132 may provide components that allow for ahuman user to interact with WD QQ110. Such interaction may be of manyforms, such as visual, audial, tactile, etc. User interface equipmentQQ132 may be operable to produce output to the user and to allow theuser to provide input to WD QQ110. The type of interaction may varydepending on the type of user interface equipment QQ132 installed in WDQQ110. For example, if WD QQ110 is a smart phone, the interaction may bevia a touch screen; if WD QQ110 is a smart meter, the interaction may bethrough a screen that provides usage (e.g., the number of gallons used)or a speaker that provides an audible alert (e.g., if smoke isdetected). User interface equipment QQ132 may include input interfaces,devices and circuits, and output interfaces, devices and circuits. Userinterface equipment QQ132 is configured to allow input of informationinto WD QQ110, and is connected to processing circuitry QQ120 to allowprocessing circuitry QQ120 to process the input information. Userinterface equipment QQ132 may include, for example, a microphone, aproximity or other sensor, keys/buttons, a touch display, one or morecameras, a USB port, or other input circuitry. User interface equipmentQQ132 is also configured to allow output of information from WD QQ110,and to allow processing circuitry QQ120 to output information from WDQQ110. User interface equipment QQ132 may include, for example, aspeaker, a display, vibrating circuitry, a USB port, a headphoneinterface, or other output circuitry. Using one or more input and outputinterfaces, devices, and circuits, of user interface equipment QQ132, WDQQ110 may communicate with end users and/or the wireless network, andallow them to benefit from the functionality described herein.

Auxiliary equipment QQ134 is operable to provide more specificfunctionality which may not be generally performed by WDs. This maycomprise specialized sensors for doing measurements for variouspurposes, interfaces for additional types of communication such as wiredcommunications etc. The inclusion and type of components of auxiliaryequipment QQ134 may vary depending on the embodiment and/or scenario.

Power source QQ136 may, in some embodiments, be in the form of a batteryor battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external powersource (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic devices or powercells, may also be used. WD QQ110 may further comprise power circuitryQQ137 for delivering power from power source QQ136 to the various partsof WD QQ110 which need power from power source QQ136 to carry out anyfunctionality described or indicated herein. Power circuitry QQ137 mayin certain embodiments comprise power management circuitry. Powercircuitry QQ137 may additionally or alternatively be operable to receivepower from an external power source; in which case WD QQ110 may beconnectable to the external power source (such as an electricity outlet)via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable.Power circuitry QQ137 may also in certain embodiments be operable todeliver power from an external power source to power source QQ136. Thismay be, for example, for the charging of power source QQ136. Powercircuitry QQ137 may perform any formatting, converting, or othermodification to the power from power source QQ136 to make the powersuitable for the respective components of WD QQ110 to which power issupplied.

FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment of a UE in accordance with variousaspects described herein. As used herein, a user equipment or UE may notnecessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and/oroperates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device thatis intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which maynot, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific humanuser (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE mayrepresent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, anend user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit ofa user (e.g., a smart power meter). UE QQ2200 may be any UE identifiedby the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a NB-IoT UE,a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and/or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.UE QQ200, as illustrated in FIG. 12, is one example of a WD configuredfor communication in accordance with one or more communication standardspromulgated by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), such as3GPP's GSM, UMTS, LTE, and/or 5G standards. As mentioned previously, theterm WD and UE may be used interchangeable. Accordingly, although FIG.12 is a UE, the components discussed herein are equally applicable to aWD, and vice-versa.

In FIG. 12, UE QQ200 includes processing circuitry QQ201 that isoperatively coupled to input/output interface QQ205, radio frequency(RF) interface QQ209, network connection interface QQ211, memory QQ215including random access memory (RAM) QQ217, read-only memory (ROM)QQ219, and storage medium QQ221 or the like, communication subsystemQQ231, power source QQ233, and/or any other component, or anycombination thereof. Storage medium QQ221 includes operating systemQQ223, application program QQ225, and data QQ227. In other embodiments,storage medium QQ221 may include other similar types of information.Certain UEs may utilize all of the components shown in FIG. 12, or onlya subset of the components. The level of integration between thecomponents may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs maycontain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors,memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

In FIG. 12, processing circuitry QQ201 may be configured to processcomputer instructions and data. Processing circuitry QQ201 may beconfigured to implement any sequential state machine operative toexecute machine instructions stored as machine-readable computerprograms in the memory, such as one or more hardware-implemented statemachines (e.g., in discrete logic, FPGA, ASIC, etc.); programmable logictogether with appropriate firmware; one or more stored program,general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or Digital SignalProcessor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combinationof the above. For example, the processing circuitry QQ201 may includetwo central processing units (CPUs). Data may be information in a formsuitable for use by a computer.

In the depicted embodiment, input/output interface QQ205 may beconfigured to provide a communication interface to an input device,output device, or input and output device. UE QQ200 may be configured touse an output device via input/output interface QQ205. An output devicemay use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example,a USB port may be used to provide input to and output from UE QQ200. Theoutput device may be a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, amonitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another outputdevice, or any combination thereof. UE QQ200 may be configured to use aninput device via input/output interface QQ205 to allow a user to captureinformation into UE QQ200. The input device may include atouch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digitalcamera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, asensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scrollwheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display mayinclude a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from auser. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, atilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, aproximity sensor, another like sensor, or any combination thereof. Forexample, the input device may be an accelerometer, a magnetometer, adigital camera, a microphone, and an optical sensor.

In FIG. 12, RF interface QQ209 may be configured to provide acommunication interface to RF components such as a transmitter, areceiver, and an antenna. Network connection interface QQ211 may beconfigured to provide a communication interface to network QQ243 a.Network QQ243 a may encompass wired and/or wireless networks such as alocal-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN), a computer network,a wireless network, a telecommunications network, another like networkor any combination thereof. For example, network QQ243 a may comprise aWi-Fi network. Network connection interface QQ211 may be configured toinclude a receiver and a transmitter interface used to communicate withone or more other devices over a communication network according to oneor more communication protocols, such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, SONET, ATM,or the like. Network connection interface QQ211 may implement receiverand transmitter functionality appropriate to the communication networklinks (e.g., optical, electrical, and the like). The transmitter andreceiver functions may share circuit components, software or firmware,or alternatively may be implemented separately.

RAM QQ217 may be configured to interface via bus QQ202 to processingcircuitry QQ201 to provide storage or caching of data or computerinstructions during the execution of software programs such as theoperating system, application programs, and device drivers. ROM QQ219may be configured to provide computer instructions or data to processingcircuitry QQ201. For example, ROM QQ219 may be configured to storeinvariant low-level system code or data for basic system functions suchas basic input and output (I/O), startup, or reception of keystrokesfrom a keyboard that are stored in a non-volatile memory. Storage mediumQQ221 may be configured to include memory such as RAM, ROM, programmableread-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magneticdisks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, orflash drives. In one example, storage medium QQ221 may be configured toinclude operating system QQ223, application program QQ225 such as a webbrowser application, a widget or gadget engine or another application,and data file QQ227. Storage medium QQ221 may store, for use by UEQQ200, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations ofoperating systems.

Storage medium QQ221 may be configured to include a number of physicaldrive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), floppydisk drive, flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive,thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc(HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray opticaldisc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive,external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamicrandom access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcardmemory such as a subscriber identity module or a removable user identity(SIM/RUIM) module, other memory, or any combination thereof. Storagemedium QQ221 may allow UE QQ200 to access computer-executableinstructions, application programs or the like, stored on transitory ornon-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. Anarticle of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system maybe tangibly embodied in storage medium QQ221, which may comprise adevice readable medium.

In FIG. 12, processing circuitry QQ201 may be configured to communicatewith network QQ243 b using communication subsystem QQ231. Network QQ243a and network QQ243 b may be the same network or networks or differentnetwork or networks.

Communication subsystem QQ231 may be configured to include one or moretransceivers used to communicate with network QQ243 b. For example,communication subsystem QQ231 may be configured to include one or moretransceivers used to communicate with one or more remote transceivers ofanother device capable of wireless communication such as another WD, UE,or base station of a radio access network (RAN) according to one or morecommunication protocols, such as IEEE 802.QQ2, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE,UTRAN, WiMax, or the like. Each transceiver may include transmitterQQ233 and/or receiver QQ235 to implement transmitter or receiverfunctionality, respectively, appropriate to the RAN links (e.g.,frequency allocations and the like). Further, transmitter QQ233 andreceiver QQ235 of each transceiver may share circuit components,software or firmware, or alternatively may be implemented separately.

In the illustrated embodiment, the communication functions ofcommunication subsystem QQ231 may include data communication, voicecommunication, multimedia communication, short-range communications suchas Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communicationsuch as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine alocation, another like communication function, or any combinationthereof. For example, communication subsystem QQ231 may include cellularcommunication, Wi-Fi communication, Bluetooth communication, and GPScommunication. Network QQ243 b may encompass wired and/or wirelessnetworks such as a local-area network (LAN), a wide-area network (WAN),a computer network, a wireless network, a telecommunications network,another like network or any combination thereof. For example, networkQQ243 b may be a cellular network, a Wi-Fi network, and/or a near-fieldnetwork. Power source QQ213 may be configured to provide alternatingcurrent (AC) or direct current (DC) power to components of UE QQ200.

The features, benefits and/or functions described herein may beimplemented in one of the components of UE QQ200 or partitioned acrossmultiple components of UE QQ200.

Further, the features, benefits, and/or functions described herein maybe implemented in any combination of hardware, software or firmware. Inone example, communication subsystem QQ231 may be configured to includeany of the components described herein. Further, processing circuitryQQ201 may be configured to communicate with any of such components overbus QQ202. In another example, any of such components may be representedby program instructions stored in memory that when executed byprocessing circuitry QQ201 perform the corresponding functions describedherein. In another example, the functionality of any of such componentsmay be partitioned between processing circuitry QQ201 and communicationsubsystem QQ231. In another example, the non-computationally intensivefunctions of any of such components may be implemented in software orfirmware and the computationally intensive functions may be implementedin hardware.

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a virtualizationenvironment QQ300 in which functions implemented by some embodiments maybe virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creatingvirtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may includevirtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networkingresources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to a node(e.g., a virtualized base station or a virtualized radio access node) orto a device (e.g., a UE, a wireless device or any other type ofcommunication device) or components thereof and relates to animplementation in which at least a portion of the functionality isimplemented as one or more virtual components (e.g., via one or moreapplications, components, functions, virtual machines or containersexecuting on one or more physical processing nodes in one or morenetworks).

In some embodiments, some or all of the functions described herein maybe implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtualmachines implemented in one or more virtual environments QQ300 hosted byone or more of hardware nodes QQ330. Further, in embodiments in whichthe virtual node is not a radio access node or does not require radioconnectivity (e.g., a core network node), then the network node may beentirely virtualized.

The functions may be implemented by one or more applications QQ320(which may alternatively be called software instances, virtualappliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions,etc.) operative to implement some of the features, functions, and/orbenefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein. Applications QQ320are run in virtualization environment QQ300 which provides hardwareQQ330 comprising processing circuitry QQ360 and memory QQ390. MemoryQQ390 contains instructions QQ395 executable by processing circuitryQQ360 whereby application QQ320 is operative to provide one or more ofthe features, benefits, and/or functions disclosed herein.

Virtualization environment QQ300, comprises general-purpose orspecial-purpose network hardware devices QQ330 comprising a set of oneor more processors or processing circuitry QQ360, which may becommercial off-the-shelf (COTS) processors, dedicated ApplicationSpecific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or any other type of processingcircuitry including digital or analog hardware components or specialpurpose processors. Each hardware device may comprise memory QQ390-1which may be non-persistent memory for temporarily storing instructionsQQ395 or software executed by processing circuitry QQ360. Each hardwaredevice may comprise one or more network interface controllers (NICs)QQ370, also known as network interface cards, which include physicalnetwork interface QQ380. Each hardware device may also includenon-transitory, persistent, machine-readable storage media QQ390-2having stored therein software QQ395 and/or instructions executable byprocessing circuitry QQ360. Software QQ395 may include any type ofsoftware including software for instantiating one or more virtualizationlayers QQ350 (also referred to as hypervisors), software to executevirtual machines QQ340 as well as software allowing it to executefunctions, features and/or benefits described in relation with someembodiments described herein.

Virtual machines QQ340, comprise virtual processing, virtual memory,virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by acorresponding virtualization layer QQ350 or hypervisor. Differentembodiments of the instance of virtual appliance QQ320 may beimplemented on one or more of virtual machines QQ340, and theimplementations may be made in different ways.

During operation, processing circuitry QQ360 executes software QQ395 toinstantiate the hypervisor or virtualization layer QQ350, which maysometimes be referred to as a virtual machine monitor (VMM).Virtualization layer QQ350 may present a virtual operating platform thatappears like networking hardware to virtual machine QQ340.

As shown in FIG. 13, hardware QQ330 may be a standalone network nodewith generic or specific components. Hardware QQ330 may comprise antennaQQ3225 and may implement some functions via virtualization.Alternatively, hardware QQ330 may be part of a larger cluster ofhardware (e.g. such as in a data center or customer premise equipment(CPE)) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed viamanagement and orchestration (MANO) QQ3100, which, among others,oversees lifecycle management of applications QQ320.

Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to asnetwork function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidatemany network equipment types onto industry standard high volume serverhardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be locatedin data centers, and customer premise equipment.

In the context of NFV, virtual machine QQ340 may be a softwareimplementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they wereexecuting on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of virtualmachines QQ340, and that part of hardware QQ330 that executes thatvirtual machine, be it hardware dedicated to that virtual machine and/orhardware shared by that virtual machine with others of the virtualmachines QQ340, forms a separate virtual network elements (VNE).

Still in the context of NFV, Virtual Network Function (VNF) isresponsible for handling specific network functions that run in one ormore virtual machines QQ340 on top of hardware networking infrastructureQQ330 and corresponds to application QQ320 in FIG. 13.

In some embodiments, one or more radio units QQ3200 that each includeone or more transmitters QQ3220 and one or more receivers QQ3210 may becoupled to one or more antennas QQ3225. Radio units QQ3200 maycommunicate directly with hardware nodes QQ330 via one or moreappropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with thevirtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities,such as a radio access node or a base station.

In some embodiments, some signaling can be effected with the use ofcontrol system QQ3230 which may alternatively be used for communicationbetween the hardware nodes QQ330 and radio units QQ3200.

With reference to FIG. 14, in accordance with an embodiment, acommunication system includes telecommunication network QQ410, such as a3GPP-type cellular network, which comprises access network QQ411, suchas a radio access network, and core network QQ414. Access network QQ411comprises a plurality of base stations QQ412 a, QQ412 b, QQ412 c, suchas NBs, eNBs, gNBs or other types of wireless access points, eachdefining a corresponding coverage area QQ413 a, QQ413 b, QQ413 c. Eachbase station QQ412 a, QQ412 b, QQ412 c is connectable to core networkQQ414 over a wired or wireless connection QQ415. A first UE QQ491located in coverage area QQ413 c is configured to wirelessly connect to,or be paged by, the corresponding base station QQ412 c. A second UEQQ492 in coverage area QQ413 a is wirelessly connectable to thecorresponding base station QQ412 a. While a plurality of UEs QQ491,QQ492 are illustrated in this example, the disclosed embodiments areequally applicable to a situation where a sole UE is in the coveragearea or where a sole UE is connecting to the corresponding base stationQQ412.

Telecommunication network QQ410 is itself connected to host computerQQ430, which may be embodied in the hardware and/or software of astandalone server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server oras processing resources in a server farm. Host computer QQ430 may beunder the ownership or control of a service provider, or may be operatedby the service provider or on behalf of the service provider.Connections QQ421 and QQ422 between telecommunication network QQ410 andhost computer QQ430 may extend directly from core network QQ414 to hostcomputer QQ430 or may go via an optional intermediate network QQ420.Intermediate network QQ420 may be one of, or a combination of more thanone of, a public, private or hosted network; intermediate network QQ420,if any, may be a backbone network or the Internet; in particular,intermediate network QQ420 may comprise two or more sub-networks (notshown).

The communication system of FIG. 14 as a whole enables connectivitybetween the connected UEs QQ491, QQ492 and host computer QQ430. Theconnectivity may be described as an over-the-top (OTT) connection QQ450.Host computer QQ430 and the connected UEs QQ491, QQ492 are configured tocommunicate data and/or signaling via OTT connection QQ450, using accessnetwork QQ411, core network QQ414, any intermediate network QQ420 andpossible further infrastructure (not shown) as intermediaries. OTTconnection QQ450 may be transparent in the sense that the participatingcommunication devices through which OTT connection QQ450 passes areunaware of routing of uplink and downlink communications. For example,base station QQ412 may not or need not be informed about the pastrouting of an incoming downlink communication with data originating fromhost computer QQ430 to be forwarded (e.g., handed over) to a connectedUE QQ491. Similarly, base station QQ412 need not be aware of the futurerouting of an outgoing uplink communication originating from the UEQQ491 towards the host computer QQ430.

Example implementations, in accordance with an embodiment, of the UE,base station and host computer discussed in the preceding paragraphswill now be described with reference to FIG. 15. In communication systemQQ500, host computer QQ510 comprises hardware QQ515 includingcommunication interface QQ516 configured to set up and maintain a wiredor wireless connection with an interface of a different communicationdevice of communication system QQ500. Host computer QQ510 furthercomprises processing circuitry QQ518, which may have storage and/orprocessing capabilities. In particular, processing circuitry QQ518 maycomprise one or more programmable processors, application-specificintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations ofthese (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. Host computer QQ510further comprises software QQ511, which is stored in or accessible byhost computer QQ510 and executable by processing circuitry QQ518.Software QQ511 includes host application QQ512. Host application QQ512may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as UE QQ530connecting via OTT connection QQ550 terminating at UE QQ530 and hostcomputer QQ510. In providing the service to the remote user, hostapplication QQ512 may provide user data which is transmitted using OTTconnection QQ550.

Communication system QQ500 further includes base station QQ520 providedin a telecommunication system and comprising hardware QQ525 enabling itto communicate with host computer QQ510 and with UE QQ530. HardwareQQ525 may include communication interface QQ526 for setting up andmaintaining a wired or wireless connection with an interface of adifferent communication device of communication system QQ500, as well asradio interface QQ527 for setting up and maintaining at least wirelessconnection QQ570 with UE QQ530 located in a coverage area (not shown inFIG. 15) served by base station QQ520. Communication interface QQ526 maybe configured to facilitate connection QQ560 to host computer QQ510.Connection QQ560 may be direct or it may pass through a core network(not shown in FIG. 15) of the telecommunication system and/or throughone or more intermediate networks outside the telecommunication system.In the embodiment shown, hardware QQ525 of base station QQ520 furtherincludes processing circuitry QQ528, which may comprise one or moreprogrammable processors, application-specific integrated circuits, fieldprogrammable gate arrays or combinations of these (not shown) adapted toexecute instructions. Base station QQ520 further has software QQ521stored internally or accessible via an external connection.

Communication system QQ500 further includes UE QQ530 already referredto. Its hardware QQ535 may include radio interface QQ537 configured toset up and maintain wireless connection QQ570 with a base stationserving a coverage area in which UE QQ530 is currently located. HardwareQQ535 of UE QQ530 further includes processing circuitry QQ538, which maycomprise one or more programmable processors, application-specificintegrated circuits, field programmable gate arrays or combinations ofthese (not shown) adapted to execute instructions. UE QQ530 furthercomprises software QQ531, which is stored in or accessible by UE QQ530and executable by processing circuitry QQ538. Software QQ531 includesclient application QQ532. Client application QQ532 may be operable toprovide a service to a human or non-human user via UE QQ530, with thesupport of host computer QQ510. In host computer QQ510, an executinghost application QQ512 may communicate with the executing clientapplication QQ532 via OTT connection QQ550 terminating at UE QQ530 andhost computer QQ510. In providing the service to the user, clientapplication QQ532 may receive request data from host application QQ512and provide user data in response to the request data. OTT connectionQQ550 may transfer both the request data and the user data. Clientapplication QQ532 may interact with the user to generate the user datathat it provides.

It is noted that host computer QQ510, base station QQ520 and UE QQ530illustrated in FIG. 15 may be similar or identical to host computerQQ430, one of base stations QQ412 a, QQ412 b, QQ412 c and one of UEsQQ491, QQ492 of FIG. 14, respectively. This is to say, the innerworkings of these entities may be as shown in FIG. 15 and independently,the surrounding network topology may be that of FIG. 14.

In FIG. 15, OTT connection QQ550 has been drawn abstractly to illustratethe communication between host computer QQ510 and UE QQ530 via basestation QQ520, without explicit reference to any intermediary devicesand the precise routing of messages via these devices. Networkinfrastructure may determine the routing, which it may be configured tohide from UE QQ530 or from the service provider operating host computerQQ510, or both. While OTT connection QQ550 is active, the networkinfrastructure may further take decisions by which it dynamicallychanges the routing (e.g., on the basis of load balancing considerationor reconfiguration of the network).

A measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoringdata rate, latency and other factors on which the one or moreembodiments improve. There may further be an optional networkfunctionality for reconfiguring OTT connection QQ550 between hostcomputer QQ510 and UE QQ530, in response to variations in themeasurement results. The measurement procedure and/or the networkfunctionality for reconfiguring OTT connection QQ550 may be implementedin software QQ511 and hardware QQ515 of host computer QQ510 or insoftware QQ531 and hardware QQ535 of UE QQ530, or both. In embodiments,sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association withcommunication devices through which OTT connection QQ550 passes; thesensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying valuesof the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values ofother physical quantities from which software QQ511, QQ531 may computeor estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of OTTconnection QQ550 may include message format, retransmission settings,preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not affect base stationQQ520, and it may be unknown or imperceptible to base station QQ520.Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in theart. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UEsignaling facilitating host computer QQ510's measurements of throughput,propagation times, latency and the like. The measurements may beimplemented in that software QQ511 and QQ531 causes messages to betransmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using OTTconnection QQ550 while it monitors propagation times, errors etc.

The term unit may have conventional meaning in the field of electronics,electrical devices and/or electronic devices and may include, forexample, electrical and/or electronic circuitry, devices, modules,processors, memories, logic solid state and/or discrete devices,computer programs or instructions for carrying out respective tasks,procedures, computations, outputs, and/or displaying functions, and soon, as such as those that are described herein.

Reference is now made to FIG. 16, which is a block diagram illustratingoperations of methods of operating a wireless communication deviceaccording to some embodiments herein. Such methods 1600 may includedetermining a timing advance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching(block 1601). Some embodiments provide that the TA offset is based on atime offset requirement for uplink/downlink switching in differentconfigurations used in communication between the wireless communicationdevice and a network node. Some embodiments provide that the wirelesscommunication device includes a user equipment (UE). In someembodiments, the TA offset is predefined constant value for a particularfrequency band and a particular frame structure and the particular framestructure includes one of a plurality of duplex modes.

In some embodiments, the TA offset is included in a TA command (TAC). Insome embodiments, the TA offset value depends on the frequency band.Some embodiments provide that the TA offset has a first TA offset valuefor a first frequency band that is below a frequency threshold for atime division duplex and a second TA offset value for a second frequencyband that is equal to or above the frequency threshold.

Some embodiments provide that the first TA offset value is differentthan the second TA offset value. For example, some embodiments providethat the first TA offset value is greater than the second TA offsetvalue. In some embodiments, the TA offset is 0 for non-time divisionduplex (non-TDD). In some embodiments, the frequency threshold is about6 GHz. In such embodiments, the first TA offset may be about 20 μs, andthe second TA offset may be about 10 μs. Such values are non-limitingexamples as the frequency threshold may be more or less than 6 Ghz, thefirst TA offset may be more or less than 20 μs, and the second TA offsetmay be more or less than 10 μs.

Embodiments may include applying the determined TA offset in an uplinkcommunication from the wireless communication device to the network node(block 1602). In some embodiments, applying the TA offset may includeapplying a timing advance corresponding to a propagation delay betweenthe wireless communication device and the network node, in addition tothe TA offset.

Some embodiments include receiving a message including the TA offsetfrom the network node (block 1603). In such embodiments, applying thedetermined TA offset may include applying the received TA offset.

Some embodiments provide that the timing advance corresponding to thepropagation delay is sent from the network node in a TA command in a RARmessage. The TA offset may use two or three bits in the messageaccording to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the TA offset isindependent of NR-LTE co-existence.

Reference is now made to FIG. 17, which is a block diagram illustratingoperations of methods of operating a network node according to someembodiments herein. Such methods 1700 may include determining a timingadvance (TA) offset for uplink/downlink switching (block 1701). Someembodiments provide that the TA offset is based on a time offsetrequirement for uplink/downlink switching in different configurationsused in communication between the network node and a wirelesscommunication device. In some embodiments, the TA offset has a first TAoffset value for a first frequency band that is below a frequencythreshold for a time division duplex and a second TA offset value for asecond frequency band that is equal to or above the frequency threshold.Thus, some embodiments provide that the first TA offset value isdifferent than the second TA offset value. Some embodiments provide thatthe first TA offset value is greater than the second TA offset value.

In some embodiments, the TA offset corresponds to an uplinkcommunication from the wireless communication device to the networknode.

Embodiments may include sending the determined TA offset to the wirelesscommunication device (block 1702). In some embodiments, the TA offset issent in a random access response (RAR) message, while in otherembodiments the TA offset is included in a TA command (TAC). Someembodiments provide that the TA offset takes two or three bits.

Operations according to some embodiments include sending a timingadvance corresponding to a propagation delay between the wirelesscommunication device and the network node to the wireless communicationdevice, in a TA command in a RAR message (block 1703).

Some embodiments provide that the TA offset value depends on thefrequency band. For example, according to some non-limiting embodiments,the frequency threshold may be about 6 GHz, the first TA offset may beabout 20 μs, and the second TA offset may be about 10 μs. In someembodiments, a non-time division duplex (non-TDD) may use a TA offset of0.

In some embodiments, the TA offset is predefined constant value, for aparticular frequency band and a particular frame structure. Examples ofdifferent frame structures may include different duplex modes. Someembodiments provide that the TA offset is independent of NR-LTEco-existence.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method in a wireless communication device,comprising: determining a timing advance, TA, offset for uplink-downlinkswitching, wherein the TA offset depends on a duplex mode of a cell inwhich an uplink transmission occurs from the wireless communicationdevice to a network node, and a frequency range of the uplinktransmission; and applying the determined TA offset in the uplinktransmission.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the duplex mode is atime division duplexing (TDD) duplex mode.
 3. The method of claim 1,wherein the TA offset depends on whether the frequency range is a firstfrequency range or a second frequency range, wherein the first frequencyrange is a frequency range above 6 GHz and the second frequency range isa frequency range below 6 GHz.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the TAoffset has a first TA offset value for a first frequency band that isbelow a frequency threshold for a time division duplex and a second TAoffset value for a second frequency band that is greater than or equalto the frequency threshold, wherein the first TA offset value isdifferent than the second TA offset value.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein the frequency threshold is about 6 GHz, the first TA offset isabout 20 μs, and the second TA offset is about 10 μs.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the TA offset is 0 for a frequency division duplexing(FDD) duplex mode.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the TA offset ispredetermined constant value for a predetermined frequency band andduplex mode.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein applying the TA offsetfurther comprises: applying a timing advance corresponding to apropagation delay between the wireless communication device and thenetwork node, in addition to the TA offset, wherein the timing advancecorresponding to the propagation delay is sent from the network node ina TA command in a RAR message.
 9. An apparatus configured to operate asa wireless communication device, comprising: at least one processor; anda non-transitory computer readable medium coupled to the at least oneprocessor, the non-transitory computer readable medium containinginstructions executable by the at least one processor, whereby the atleast one processor is configured to: determine a timing advance, TA,offset for uplink/downlink switching, wherein the TA offset depends on aduplex mode of a cell in which the uplink transmission occurs and afrequency range of the uplink transmission; and apply the determined TAoffset in an uplink communication from the wireless communication deviceto the network node.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the messageis a random access response, RAR, message.
 11. The apparatus of claim 9,wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, whenapplying the TA offset: apply a timing advance corresponding to apropagation delay between the wireless communication device and thenetwork node, in addition to the TA offset, wherein the timing advancecorresponding to the propagation delay is sent from the network node ina TA command in a RAR message.
 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein theTA offset has a first TA offset value for a first frequency band that isbelow a frequency threshold for a time division duplex and a second TAoffset value for a second frequency band that is equal to or above thefrequency threshold, wherein the first TA offset value is greater thanthe second TA offset value.
 13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein fornon-time division duplex, non-TDD, the TA offset is
 0. 14. The apparatusof claim 12, wherein the frequency threshold is about 6 GHz, wherein thefirst TA offset is about 20 μs, and wherein the second TA offset about10 μs.
 15. A network node, comprising: processing circuitry, memory, andtransceiver circuitry collectively configured to: determine a timingadvance, TA, offset for uplink-downlink switching, wherein the TA offsetdepends on a duplex mode and frequency range used for communicationbetween the network node and a wireless communication device; send thedetermined TA offset to the wireless communication device.
 16. Thenetwork node of claim 15, wherein the TA offset is sent in a randomaccess response, RAR, message.
 17. The network node of claim 15, whereinthe processing circuitry, memory, and transceiver circuitry are furthercollectively configured to send a timing advance corresponding to apropagation delay between the wireless communication device and thenetwork node to the wireless communication device, in a TA command in aRAR message.
 18. The network node of claim 15, wherein the TA offset hasa first TA offset value for a first frequency band that is below afrequency threshold for a time division duplex and a second TA offsetvalue for a second frequency band that is equal to or above thefrequency threshold, wherein the first TA offset value is greater thanthe second TA offset value.
 19. The network node of claim 15, whereinfor non-time division duplex, non-TDD, the TA offset is
 0. 20. Thenetwork node of claim 18, wherein the frequency threshold is about 6GHz, wherein the first TA offset is about 20 μs, and wherein the secondTA offset is about 10 μs.